Lausanne (SUI) / UEG Office, October 28, 2015: The organisers of the European Sports Championships (ESC) confirmed the participation of artistic gymnastics on the program of the first edition of this multi-sport event, that will take place in August 2018, simultaneously in Glasgow (GBR) and Berlin (GER).

Already designated in the most important top three sports of the Olympic program and after its success in the recent European Championships in Montpellier (FRA), gymnastics strengthens its position in the European sports environment and confirms the high degree of popularity among a wide audience.

Currently in Glasgow, which is hosting the 46th World Championships in Artistic Gymnastics, the President of the European Union of Gymnastics (UEG), the Frenchman Georges Guelzec welcomed this decision. ” I welcome the recent developments and successes in Gymnastics. This success is that of all European gymnasts, their national federations who are now reaping the fruits of their development policy.”

The UEG has 48 national member federations, a gymnastics population estimated at some 60 million of supporters distributed thousands of clubs in Europe. In 2016 and 2017, the UEG will organize its artistic gymnastics European championships respectively in Bern (SUI) and Bucharest (ROU). In 2018, after the 2015 Worlds, Glasgow and its prestigious SSE Hydro Site will return with gymnastics competitions, hosti ng this first edition of the European Sports Championships.

With the European Championships, European Games, European Youth Olympic Festival as staple European events will this be too much? Do we expect high profile gymnasts to compete or will countries send their B teams? Very little information is available as yet.

What is the European Sports Championships? As per the event website:

Run by leading European Sports Federations

Brings together existing individual European championships into one co-ordinated multi-sport concept

The Gymnastics event is said to include both the Men’s and Women’s Artistic Championships, with around 600 athletes competing in Glasgow over six days. Adaptations around scheduling and timetabling will be agreed at future meetings.